Friday, November 13, 2009

Evening Snacking

If you are like me at all, you've heard that you shouldn't eat passed a certain time, say 8 p.m. or you will gain more weight. Then you've also heard it doesn't matter what time of day you eat, but what matters is the amount of calories you consume through out your entire day. What is the truth???

"When and What you Eat"By: Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

We all know that our weights are a direct reflection of calories in versus calories out. However, researchers at Northwestern University’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology report that calories

consumed at night are more fattening than those eaten at other times of the day. In this study, mice fed high-fat diets during their normal sleeping time gained 48% more weight, while mice eating the same high-fat diet during their typical waking hours gained less than half as much, or 20% more weight. The researchers speculate that circadian rhythm has something to do with the weight gain. This internal clock regulates energy use, which implies that the timing of meals might make a difference when balancing calories in with calories out. In addition, the animals fed during their normal waking hours also moved more, thus burned off more

calories, compared to the ones fed closer to “bedtime.” The researchers emphasize that total calorie intake is still the most important determinant of body weight.